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But then the prince added, “I chose two of my favorite guards to keep an eye on your sister. She’s quite protected.”
“My…?” I blinked, confused for a good five seconds before I realized we’d been talking about two entirely different ladies.
Then I cleared my throat, discomfited I hadn’t even thought to worry about leaving Allera unattended for a short while.
Smashing great guard of a brother I was being for her, huh?
God, I sucked.
“Good to know,” I said slowly. “Thanks.” Beyond ready to change the subject, I turned fully toward Brentley. “Say, is this private enough for our conversation?”
“Our…? Oh! Right. Our conversation.” He nodded, not making eye contact as he glanced around to find we were quite alone together on the road and shaded under the trees of the forest. “Yes. Yes, this is fine.” But he stalled another few seconds, his face turning red before he cleared his throat and said, “It’s about, uh, it’s about Princess Allera.”
When his voice faltered, I cocked an eyebrow and sent him a stern glance. “What about her?”
If he dared make a single complaint against my sister, I might not be able to hold my temper.
He flushed. “Well, it’s just… I mean… We weren’t exactly aware she’d been married previously until it was mentioned last night.”
“That’s right,” I said slowly. “This will be her second union. Is that a problem?”
“No! No,” he rushed to reassure me, offering a quick smile, only to flush and clear his throat. “Well… Not to me, anyway.”
“To your brother, then?” I guessed.
“No,” he said slowly, as if uncertain of that answer before sending me a rueful grin. “Not so much the king as…to our cousin, actually.”
“Ah,” I murmured. “Sir Soren.”
I should’ve guessed.
The prick had gotten a stick stuck up his ass last night when he’d learned my brother Erick’s wife, Ianna, had not been born noble. Poor Erick always took the piss from everyone outside High Cliff who knew about that. Of course it would offend Soren’s staid, delicate sensibilities to also learn Allera wasn’t coming to Brentley a fresh virgin.
“I wasn’t aware second marriages were looked down upon here at Donnelly.”
“Oh, they’re not,” Brentley assured me with a wave of his hand. “They’re not at all.”
“Then…” I tilted my head and squinted. “This is because she’s not…untouched?”
God, I really didn’t enjoy talking about my sister’s sex life.
“Well… That’s technically not an issue, either. I mean, it is, but only for the ruling class. And since I’m technically the king’s brother, which currently makes me next in line for the throne, until Caulder has a son, anyway, well…” Wincing, he shut his eyes and admitted, “I feel like a right git for even speaking of this aloud. I’m sure, in his day, my grandfather had a reason when he made such a decree. Something to do with making sure children born soon after the wedding truly belonged to the royal line, or some nonsense like that, but that doesn’t make much sense to me either. A spouse could just as easily stray after the wedding vows as they could before. So that’s not even a valid—”
“It’s alright,” I told him with a chuckle. Pointing to my mark, I admitted, “High Cliff has our own customs that don’t make much sense to me.”
His shoulders sagged with reassurance before he admitted, “I’m not sure why I even brought this up to you. I’ll still get to marry her. Caulder’s already signed the marriage alliance. He knows he’d start trouble if he tried to back out.”
Nodding my understanding, I said, “I’m glad you did tell me. It helps me to be aware of who thinks what of my sister.”
“Oh, I’m sure Soren still finds Allera of high regard and the utmost respect. There’s no esteem lost toward her at all, I swear.”
I grunted out my disagreement, certain Sir Soren’s regard for both me and my sister was anything but respectful.
“I must admit,” Brentley went on, clearing his throat as his face flushed red. “I’m glad the deal’s signed and set in stone. I’m quite sure I’d never find another woman as stunning as Princess Allera to marry me otherwise.”
I glanced at him, lifting a single eyebrow. When he flushed even more and turned his face away, I had to snicker. “Infatuated with her already, are you, old son?”
Brentley shook his head as if he wanted to deny such an embarrassing revelation, only to look at me with all earnestness a moment later. “She’s the loveliest woman I’ve ever met.”
